Notifications
Clear all

Print text on object  

  RSS
Przemysław Niewiadowski
(@przemyslaw-niewiadowski)
Member
Print text on object

Hi Dear Community,

I am struggling with 3d printed text on an object.

When I extrude it in Fusion 360 it looks nice.

Fusion 360

But when I slice it in Prusa Slicer, then the font starts to looks more like Comic Sans than Calibri or Arial.

Prusa Slicer

Do you know, what I can change in order to make it looks more like a Arial font rather than Comic Sans font?

Best Answer by fuchsr:

Most traditional fonts are just not designed for FDM printing. I usually get a little bit better results if I use Bold and a bit smaller font size. But it'll never look like Arial in print does. 

There are a few fonts designed with 3D printing in mind, or at least they seem to work better than others. Free one's I have used are Osifont and Overpass. Just be careful when you download them. Some sites deliver them as .otf file, which Fusion apparently can't extrude. .ttf files are fine. I find Overpass to be reasonably close to Arial.

Posted : 27/01/2022 5:14 pm
Tim Weston
(@tim-weston)
Estimable Member
RE: Print text on object

Hi,

Can you post a zipped .3mf file for us to look at please?

Cheers,

Tim

Posted : 27/01/2022 5:42 pm
Lichtjaeger
(@lichtjaeger)
Noble Member
RE:

The problem in your picture is the elephant foot compensation.

In addition, the only thing you can do to get more/sharper details on the XY plane is to swap to a smaller nozzle size.

Posted : 27/01/2022 5:43 pm
Przemysław Niewiadowski
(@przemyslaw-niewiadowski)
Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Print text on object

Sure, here is the ZIP file

Posted : 27/01/2022 5:49 pm
fuchsr
(@fuchsr)
Famed Member
RE: Print text on object

Most traditional fonts are just not designed for FDM printing. I usually get a little bit better results if I use Bold and a bit smaller font size. But it'll never look like Arial in print does. 

There are a few fonts designed with 3D printing in mind, or at least they seem to work better than others. Free one's I have used are Osifont and Overpass. Just be careful when you download them. Some sites deliver them as .otf file, which Fusion apparently can't extrude. .ttf files are fine. I find Overpass to be reasonably close to Arial.

Posted : 27/01/2022 5:57 pm
Tim Weston
(@tim-weston)
Estimable Member
RE: Print text on object

Thanks for the file. As already indicated, you are pushing the limits of detail resolution for this size of text with a 0.4mm nozzle. Try slicing with a 0.25mm nozzle preset and you will see difference.

The only thing that might make some little improvement is to reduce the number of perimeters to 1, but even with that I think you are still going to see rounding on the corners of the letters with Arial. Try it and see and then you can make the call.

Other suggestions:

  • Use just DAKEL - not sure if that would be acceptable from a branding perspective.
  • Use a simple company logo or the company initials instead.
  • Use a more 3D friendly font as already suggested.

Cheers,

Tim

Posted : 27/01/2022 6:22 pm
Przemysław Niewiadowski
(@przemyslaw-niewiadowski)
Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Print text on object

Thank you very much for all of your ideas.

Definitely, smaller nozzle size is the way to go, but since I will have to print a lot of them I want to reduce the time as much as I can.

 

The solutions proposed by @fuchsr seem to gave me best results. Here is the picture with comparison:

Font comparison

Posted : 28/01/2022 8:02 am
Swiss_Cheese
(@swiss_cheese)
Noble Member
RE: Print text on object

@przemyslaw-niewiadowski

 

Is this a cap for a plastic tube or some kind of end cap for a metal tube?

The Filament Whisperer

Posted : 29/01/2022 4:37 pm
Przemysław Niewiadowski
(@przemyslaw-niewiadowski)
Member
Topic starter answered:
RE: Print text on object

@swiss_cheese it is a kinda end cap

Posted : 30/01/2022 3:22 pm
Swiss_Cheese
(@swiss_cheese)
Noble Member
RE: Print text on object

@przemyslaw-niewiadowski

 

The reason I asked is I have a suggestion for you, based on the font detail and quality of the over all print, as well as printing them faster since you mentioned printing a lot of them, Using your example file, I printed several of these in Vase mode achieving a faster print with a high quality, using a 0.4 nozzle. As well I removed your boolean text, reconstructed the model to its original spec, and then used Negative Volumes to add an interchangeable/Dynamic text to the top of the lid, meaning I could reproduce any font in my 3D program of choice, and just change it out in the project .3mf by use of the "Replace with STL" feature in PrusaSlicer.

This is non-destructive to the model and allows for proper scaling once the parts are in slicer, should you find that your text, for example, was to big for your sliced features and was protruding into your external perimeters. Depending on the thickness needed for the receiving end of the cap, you could also reduce your material usage and and cut the Print time down from 23min to 15min each.

The Thin font is Arial & the thicker looking one is Arial Bold.

(Four different wall thicknesses on the receiving end.)

All four where printed in Vase mode.

Your Text as a Negative Volume, it's Interchangeable, can be scaled and repositioned.

 

This is a better work flow, it allows for design change, (experiment with as many fonts as you like). can decreases print time and material use, (if you don't need the receiving end wall to be so thick). This method will allow for the walls to be adjusted from 0.4 -0.65 in thickness. If you do need them that thick then you will simply adjust bottom layers to 50 and perimeters to 0.55 and Slicer will print it in vase mode but treat it as a solid object, either way you will get a cleaner result then the current method your using with less work.

 

Regards

 

Swiss_Cheese

The Filament Whisperer

Posted : 30/01/2022 11:22 pm
jwvaughn
(@jwvaughn-2)
Active Member
RE: Print text on object

 fuchsr,

Thanks for the tip on fonts!  I have tried several and never been really happy with the results.  I have a project in the works that I changed to use Osifont and it looks good so far.  I am looking forward to printing the part.

jwv

Posted : 02/02/2022 5:16 am
towlerg
(@towlerg)
Noble Member
RE: Print text on object

There's an interesting post somewhere on this board (that I can't find) where the guy systematically looked at fonts and print settings profiles to determine minimum font size for each condition.

Posted : 02/02/2022 12:18 pm
Neophyl
(@neophyl)
Illustrious Member
RE: Print text on object

Probably this one https://forum.prusa3d.com/forum/original-prusa-i3-mk3s-mk3-how-do-i-print-this-printing-help/best-font-to-print-small-letters/

Posted : 02/02/2022 3:58 pm
fuchsr
(@fuchsr)
Famed Member
RE: Print text on object
Posted by: @neophyl

Probably this one https://forum.prusa3d.com/forum/original-prusa-i3-mk3s-mk3-how-do-i-print-this-printing-help/best-font-to-print-small-letters/

Yes, that's the article that links to https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/71231-font-swatches-tested-ranked, which is what made me discover Overpass and Osifont.

Posted : 02/02/2022 4:04 pm
towlerg
(@towlerg)
Noble Member
RE: Print text on object

Thanks fuchsr

Posted : 03/02/2022 11:34 am
doctorg
(@doctorg)
Eminent Member
RE: Print text on object

In addition to these great tips, I also adjust the size a small bit at a time and pull it into the slicer after each iteration until I find the perfect size for a project. You can stick with a .4 nozzle with this method and the Overpass-Bold font. I have a business card design using this method that looks pretty good. Of course, dropping to a .25 nozzle will give more options.

Posted : 22/04/2022 12:11 pm
RandyM9
(@randym9)
Honorable Member
RE: Print text on object

@swiss_cheese - you never cease to amaze me.

I don’t understand half of what you did but I always appreciate your depth of knowledge and willingness to tackle a problem for users on these boards. I learn something new from each of your posts.

Thanks for what you do. Please keep sharing. 

Posted : 22/04/2022 3:09 pm
Share: